German Oliver Kiethe has been confirmed as Hermes's coach for the remainder of the season, ending the club's search for a short-term successor to Roy Horsfield who stepped down from the post after leading Hermes to last season's Leinster Senior A title.
The German's chief commitment, however, this season will be to YMCA, but he will take charge of all Hermes training sessions and will attend any of their matches that do not clash with those of the men's Division One side. Kiethe had his first contact with Irish hockey last year, when he coached in a number of schools as part of an exchange arrangement with the German hockey association. Hermes continue the defence of their league title against Glenanne at Belfield tomorrow while leaders Loreto, who have played an extra game, meet Trinity at Beaufort.
In Munster, UCC get their season under way against Harlequins II tomorrow and Church of Ireland on Sunday, with a team almost unrecognisable from the line-up that took them to last season's Irish Senior Cup semi-finals. International Michelle O'Sullivan is moving to New Zealand for a year to further her studies, after six seasons with the college team; Vivienne Fenton has joined Harlequins; Jane O'Brien will be studying in Spain this year, while Koran McCarthy has moved to England.
Six new players have joined the squad, however, including identical twins Eimear and Orlaith Curtin, the Irish under-18 internationals who played with Church of Ireland last season. Sisters Ruth and Thelma Kingston, who have come from Bandon, are two more of UCC's newcomers. The University of Limerick, who won promotion from Junior A last season, also begin their Munster Senior League campaign this weekend - they play Catholic Institute in Limerick tomorrow. Up north the action takes place in the Ulster Shield this weekend with Pegasus meeting Victorians, the last team to beat them, on September 20th last year, in any competition. Since then Pegasus have, literally, been unbeatable and trounced Victorians 7-0 last month, in the second weekend of the league season.
